(6)
Scripture Reading: Jer. 11; Jer. 12; Jer. 13
In this message we will consider Jeremiah 11 through 13. These chapters are concerned with Israel's breaking of the covenant. We have already covered this matter somewhat, but here Jeremiah gives us a fuller picture of the breaking of the covenant.
The covenant of Jehovah with Israel was made in the day that Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt to Mount Sinai (11:4, 7; Exo. 24:3-8; Heb. 9:18-20). Regarding this covenant, in Jeremiah 11:3 and 4 Jehovah says, "Cursed is the man who does not listen to the words of this covenant, which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Listen to My voice and do the things according to all which I command you; and you will be My people and I will be your God."
The covenant of Jehovah with Israel, called the first covenant and also the old covenant, was the covenant of the law of the Ten Commandments.
The first five commandments, based on Jehovah God's uniqueness and jealousy, demand man to honor, serve, and love God as the unique and jealous God (Exo. 20:3-12). God's uniqueness and jealousy require that we honor, serve, and love Him.
It is significant that in the arrangement of the Ten Commandments, the commandment concerning honoring our parents, the fifth commandment, is ranked with the commandments regarding God and the keeping of the Sabbath. This indicates that, as children, we need to realize that our parents are our source, and as our source they should be considered God's representatives. Thus, the commandment concerning honoring our parents is ranked with the first four commandments concerning God and His Sabbath. To disobey, dishonor, despise, and do evil to our parents means that we reject God.
The last five commandments, based on Jehovah God's attributes of love, light, holiness, and righteousness, demand man to have virtues according to God's attributes in his relationship with others (Exo. 20:13-17). These commandments indicate that God wants us to express Him in our daily life.
The law of the Ten Commandments was given to test man and expose man as to his genuine nature and condition (Rom. 3:20b; 5:20a; 7:7b). If the Ten Commandments had not been given to us, our actual situation and condition could not be exposed to ourselves, and we would not be clear concerning ourselves. But through the trial of keeping the commandments of the law, our nature, situation, and condition are exposed and become clear to us.
The law of the Ten Commandments has become weak through man's flesh (Rom. 8:3a). In itself the law is good and spiritual; it has become "weak through the flesh." Because we are so fleshly, the law becomes weak.
Although the law has become weak through man's flesh, the law itself is holy, righteous, good, and spiritual (Rom. 7:12, 14, 16a).
Whereas the law is holy, righteous, good, and spiritual, man is fleshly, even fleshy. This is the reason Paul says, "I am fleshy, sold under sin" (Rom. 7:14b). Paul realized that he was contrary to all that was portrayed by the law. He also portrayed man as being fleshy and, having lost his liberty, as being sold under sin.
The covenant of Jehovah with Israel was a covenant based on man's works to keep the law. Concerning this, Paul says in Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified out of works of law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we also have believed into Christ Jesus that we might be justified out of faith in Christ and not out of the works of law, because out of the works of law no flesh will be justified."
The covenant with Israel is not like the covenant of promise given to Abraham, nor like the covenant of grace given to the New Testament believers (Rom. 6:14b). Actually the covenant of promise given to Abraham and the covenant of grace given to the New Testament believers are the same covenant. With Abraham this covenant was a matter of promise; with the believers it is a matter of fulfillment.
Jehovah's covenant with Israel was not by man's faith in God but by man's works in himself (Gal. 2:16). This covenant was altogether a matter that was wrapped up with the self instead of with God. The new covenant is different. The new covenant is based upon faith in God and it is wrapped up with God. If we do not have God, we do not have the new covenant. Without God, there is no way for us to experience the new covenant.
Israel became a total failure under the test of the law. They became such a failure that they might know certain things.
Through their failure under the test of the law, Israel was to learn that they are unable to keep the law and that they have no righteousness by the law (Rom. 8:3a; 9:31; 10:3). It is impossible for any fleshly person to have righteousness by the law.
The sinful nature of the people of Israel cannot be changed, just as a Cushite cannot change his skin or the leopard its spots (Jer. 13:23).
Jeremiah 17:9a says, "The heart is deceitful above all things / And it is incurable." Since Israel's heart was deceitful and incurable and their nature was sinful, it was impossible for them to keep the law.
Through their total failure in keeping the law, Israel was also to come to know that they needed Christ to be Jehovah as their righteousness (Jer. 23:6b; 33:16b; 1 Cor. 1:30). Christ, the very God and the Savior, must be their righteousness.
Finally, through their failure in keeping the law, Israel was to know that they needed to have the divine life with its law in the new covenant of God (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-12; 10:16-17).
Chapters eleven through thirteen of Jeremiah speak both of Israel's breaking of the covenant of the law and of God's punishment over them.
"The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers" (Jer. 11:10c). This clearly reveals that Israel broke the covenant of the law.
Israel broke the covenant of the law by their idolatrous worship (11:10b, 13, 15a, 17b; 13:10b, 27a). Such worship is against the first five commandments of the law.
Israel broke the covenant also by their evil conduct (11:8, 10a, 19; 12:2b, 4a, 14a; 13:27a). Such conduct was against the last five of the commandments of the law. By their conduct and behavior in their daily living, Israel absolutely broke the commandments concerning murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting. Thus, by their idolatrous worship and by their evil conduct, they completely annulled the law. As far as they were concerned, the law was of no effect.
Although God's intention in giving Israel His law was to test and expose them, He still needed to punish them for the sake of His righteousness and holiness. Holiness refers to God's nature, and righteousness, to God's acts. Because of their idolatry (11:8, 10b-11, 13-14, 17; 13:10b, 27) and their evil conduct (11:10a, 11, 15b-16, 19-23; 13:9), God had to punish Israel. His holiness and righteousness required this punishment.
Jeremiah 12:15 reveals that eventually God will return to them and have compassion on them and bring them back from their captivity.
Finally, in 13:17 we see Jeremiah the prophet's reaction to Israel's breaking of the covenant and to God's punishment over Israel. Jeremiah said that his soul will weep in secret places for their pride, and his eye will weep bitterly and shed tears because the flock of Jehovah has been taken captive.
